Burnley
Blackburn Rovers
Coventry City
Derby County
Leeds United
Luton Town
Middlesbrough
Millwall
Norwich City
Portsmouth
Sheffield Wednesday
Sheffield United
QPR
Coventry City take on Portsmouth at the CBS Arena this evening, with vital points at stake for Frank Lampard and John Mousinho’s respective sides.
Frank Lampard and his Coventry have been imperious at home of late, but may need to have an aggressive game plan in order to beat their visitors and remain in the play-off picture.
| Position | Team | Played MP | Won W | Drawn D | Lost L | For GF | Against GA | Diff GD | Points Pts |
| 4 |  SunderlandSunderland | 41 | 21 | 13 | 7 | 57 | 37 | 20 | 76 |
| 5 |  Bristol CityBristol City | 41 | 16 | 15 | 10 | 53 | 44 | 9 | 63 |
| 6 |  MiddlesbroughMiddlesbrough | 41 | 17 | 9 | 15 | 61 | 50 | 11 | 60 |
| 7 |  CoventryCoventry | 40 | 17 | 8 | 15 | 57 | 53 | 4 | 59 |
| 8 |  West BromWest Brom | 41 | 13 | 18 | 10 | 49 | 38 | 11 | 57 |
| 9 |  MillwallMillwall | 41 | 15 | 12 | 14 | 40 | 41 | -1 | 57 |
| 10 |  WatfordWatford | 41 | 16 | 8 | 17 | 49 | 53 | -4 | 56 |
Pompey and John Mousinho have still got work to do to ensure safety in the Championship, having been promoted back to this level for the first time since 2012 and they face a side he has described as the ‘better team’.
Lampard, in particular, will require a response from his team after seeing them fail to pick up anything in their last two fixtures against high-flying Sheffield United and the disappointing defeat to Burnley which left fans frustrated.
Frank Lampard should make Ben Sheaf call against Portsmouth
Lampard’s success has drawn attention from elsewhere, which will concern Sky Blues fans. That’s because Lampard’s side have broken records this season as they have propelled themselves up the table.
It’s no surprise, with Lampard revealing he has adapted and evolved as a coach since managing at this level with Derby County and following stints in the Premier League with Chelsea and Everton.
Pundits have had their say on the outcome of the game but also other experts have predicted the play-offs and how they will end amid the continued push from a quietly impressive Bristol City side.
One of Coventry’s most crucial players in recent seasons is Ben Sheaf, with the midfielder sometimes captaining the side on occasion, too. At this late stage in the season, during crunch matches at the business end, they require leadership and experience.
Perhaps Sheaf as a defensive-minded midfielder is more valuable against opposition towards the top end of the table. But Sheaf is in need of minutes to rebuild his match fitness ahead of a potential play-off campaign.
Those games will be more vital for Cov in having a player who profiles like Sheaf. His energy and robust nature will be important when screening a defence. He was an unused substitute against Burnley and has seldom featured since starting a 1-1 draw with Cardiff City in January.
After missing nine games with a calf injury, the likes of Jamie Allen and Matt Grimes have provided balance at the base of midfield. Sheaf and Grimes ought to be given more time to develop as a partnership in the double-pivot, though.
To get him up to speed ahead of the play-offs, Sheaf needs to feature far more regularly in the next six games. The 27-year-old has Premier League quality and hasn’t been able to showcase it regularly enough this term, particularly under Lampard.
What Frank Lampard has said about Ben Sheaf
Speaking via Coventry Live in February regarding Sheaf’s contract situation, Lampard explained his respect and admiration for Sheaf: “Everyone here at the club wants Ben to stay. As far as I’m concerned, I do.
“I had respect for Ben when I came in. I know there was interest in him in the summer and a lot of talk about him in the summer and that’s because of the level of player that Ben is. So I’m really happy with him.
“I think probably that the injury that’s just come now, unfortunately, for the last six weeks or so makes everything about getting him back on the training pitch. But I want him to stay. Obviously those conversations will always be from the owner (Doug King) and Dean (Austin) and myself, and obviously Ben and his opinions on it.
“I want him to stay at the club but there doesn’t feel like a huge rush. Ben might say something different, I don’t know because I don’t know where he’s at exactly with it, but it doesn’t feel like a huge rush because we’re right in the middle of games. But I think all conversations are positive, for sure.”